Lensbaby

It's been awhile since I've updated my 101 Things list, and thanks to my hubby, I scored a big one this weekend.  Because Beau is going to miss my very first Mother's Day for a bachelor party next weekend, he decided to spoil me with a brand new lens for my camera.  I guess he figured I'd need something to keep me busy while I'm missing him!  Fittingly called the 'Lensbaby,' I had no idea this thing existed, but I guess I'm finally reaping the benefits of Beau's weekly networking meetings.  He evidently called the photographer in his group about a cool photography gift for me, and he suggested this.  The Lensbaby now has a new mommy ;)

The lens rotates on a unique ball and socket, which definitely takes some time to get used to.  It's not the typical point-and-shoot with auto-focus I'm used to, but I'm slowly figuring it out.  The lens focuses on a tack-sharp 'sweet spot,' and blurs everything around it.  You can control the amount of blur based on the aperture you use.  The cool thing that differs from my 50 mm lens is that depending on where you focus your sweet spot, you can focus anything in the picture, whether it's in the center, the very top, or the bottom left.

See how Beau's face is my sweet spot and the candles are blurred?  This only took about twenty minutes to figure out.

 

 

I spent a few hours experimenting with my new baby.  After about 400 pictures, I think I'm starting to get the hang of it :)